Rail brace



' cgl-LNORDBERG RAIL BRACE Aug. 15, 1944.

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Patented Aug. 15, 1944 umrso STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

Charles H. Nordberg, Chicago Heights, 111., as-, y

signor to Pettibone Mulliken Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application September 11, 1943, Serial No. 502,011

Claims.

This invention relates to rail braces for holding railway rails against lateral movement and is of particular advantage in providing support for rails subjected to the spreading action of heavy traffic. v

The invention makes use of a wedge arrangement. While rail braces employing wedges have been used heretofore, they are subject to certain disadvantages which .will be referred to hereinafter and which the present invention obviates without however destroying any of the advantages of such rail braces. 7

It is an object of the present invention to provide a self locking rail brace including wedge means for moving the brace tightly against the rail, said wedge means comprising a wedge having serrations on its underside adapted to cooperate with serrations on a bar secured to the base plate,

Another object of the invention resides in providing a rail brace in which the wedge means provide a locking action which is effective to insure a tight fit while the bolts for the brace block are being tightened, and which remains effective even should such bolts become loosened after considerable use of the device.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a rail brace employing Wedge means which can readily be replaced should the locking serrations thereon become damaged, such replacement making it unnecessary'to V replace such other larger parts of thedevice such as the brace block, base plate, and the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide rail brace parts which can be often substituted for worn or damaged parts on existing rail brace structure, the substituted parts and the remaining original parts together forming an improved rail brace.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and claims when read in' conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rail brace constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the parts, and V Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of a modified form of brace block which may be used with the invention.

No. 2,223,865, dated December 3, 1940.

Specifically, the present invention comprises certain improvements in rail braces of the type shown for example, in the patent to G. Arnold,

In the drawing figures the reference numeral 2 indicates a base plate which extends beneath the rail 4. The base plate is secured to the rail ties (not shown) or the like by any suitable means. i

- The base plate 2 is :provided on its upper Slll face with a recess 6. One wall 8 of the recess forms an abutment for the base of the rail.; A rectangular block II! is disposed in the recess abutting the opposed wall I2 of the recess. The block [0 may be integrally formed with the base plate or it may be welded or otherwise'rigidly secured thereto.

The device includes a brace block M having a flat lower surface l6 adapted to be supported by the upper surface of the base plate 2, and upper and lower bearing surfaces l8 and 20 which, when the device is in use, bear respectively against the underside of the rail head and the upper surface of the rail base. i

The brace block I4 is adapted to be secured to the base plate. 2 by means of the bo1ts'22, 22' which are adapted to extend upwardly through openings 24, 24' in th base plate, thence through the elongated openings 26, 26 in the brace block M, then through the members 28, 28'. The upper ends of the bolts: are secured by the lock Washers .30, 30' and the nuts 32, 32'.

farthest from the rail with a depending rib 35 which extends diagonally as shown in the dotted lines in Figure l and also with an overhanging lip or flange 36 which, as will be noted, extends over the wedge means which will now be" described. V

With reference to Figures 3 and 4 in particular,

7 the device includes a member 38, the upper surface of which is provided with serrations. Thi member 38 is provided at one end with a depending flange 40 which engages one edge of the base plate wedge means comprising a member disposed adjacent said brace block and on said base plate and secured against movement thereon, a transverse bar fixed to the base plate adjacent said member, the opposed Walls of said bar and said brace block comprising wedge engaging surfaces, awedge adapted to be inserted transversely of the base plate over said member and in contact therewith, said wedge and said member having complementary serrations on their facing surfaces, said brace block having a flange disposed to overlie said angles of the serrations being opposite to those on the member 38 so that looking action is ef- I fected in one direction of relative movement between the member 38 and the wedge 44. V

The wedge 44 and the member 38 are each provided at one end with vertical holes such as 46, 46' capable of registering when the device is in locked position so that a positive locking cotter pin 48 (see Figure 3) may be employed, if desired.

In operation, themember 38 is first disposed in position. Then the brace block I4 is disposed on-the base plate 2 and the bolts 22, '22, members 28, 28', lock washers and nuts are assembled as shown in Figure 2, but the nuts are left slightly loose. The brace block is then urged into a position' of contact with the rail, also as shown in Figure 2.

The wedge 44 is then inserted between the member 38 and the overhanging flange 36 and the wedge 44 is then driven into place. The wedge serrations effect a locking action with the complementary serrations On the member 33. The wedge, it will be noted, is self-locking in the sense that no further operation need be effected in the device after the wedge has been driven in tightly. However, for additional security, the cotter .pin 48 may be used if desired.

It will also be noted that all bf the serrations which effect the locking are in the wedge 44 and member 38 which comprise the wedging means. This constitutes an important improvement since after continued use the serrations have a tendency to become worn, and it is onlynecessary to replace the wedge 44 or the member 38, or maybe both, instead of replacing the larger elements such as the brace block I4 and base plate.

It will be noted that the device is simple to assemble, adjust and operate, that the locking action is positive and remains so even should the nuts become loosened somewhat. 1

The brace block may either be of .the'type shown Figures 1-4 in whichthe, brace block bears against the headof the-rail and the base flange,

or it may be of the head-free type as shown in Figure 5, where the brace block :is indicated by'the reference numeral l4 It will be understood thatsome changes could wedge and said member.

2. A rail brace comprising a base plate to be arranged beneath a railway rail, a brace block on said plate and having portions for engaging and accurately interfitting with portions of the rail, said brace block being provided with an elongated slot and said base plate being provided with a bolt extending through said slot and carrying means for clamping the block in adjusted position, said slot and said bolt enabling said block to be adjusted toward the rail while holding the block against movement transversely of the plate and longitudinally of the rail, and wedge means for forcing said block tightly against the rail, said wedge means comprising a member disposed adjacent said brace block and on said base plate and secured against movement thereon, a transverse bar'fixed to the base plate adjacent said member, the opposed walls of said bar and said brace block comprising wedge engaging surfaces, a wedge adapted to be inserted transversely of the base plate over said member and in contact therewith, said wedge and said member having complementary serrations on their facing surfaces,

said brace block having a flange disposed to overlie said wedge and said member, said member and said wedge being provided with openings adapted to register when the member and wedge are in looking position, whereby a positive locking pin may be passed through said aligned openings.

3. A rail brace comprising a base plate to be arranged beneath a railway rail, a brace block mounted'on said plate and having portions providing accurately formed bearin surfaces complementary to portions of the rail and adapted to engage the latter, said block and said plate hav- .be effected in the structure described without departing fromtheinventionwhich is only to be limited as indicated in the following I claim: 1. A rail brace comprising abaseplate to be claims.

said brace blockbe'ing provided withtan elongated slot and said base plate being provided with a bolt arranged beneath a railway rail, a brace block on said plate and having portions for engaging and accurately interfitting with portions .of the rail,

extendingthrough said slot and carrying means for clamping the block in; adjusted positiomsaid slot and said bolt enabling .said bloclz to be adjusted-toward the rail-while holding the block against movement transversely of the plateau-d longitudinally of the rail, and .wedgemeans .for

forcing said block tightly against the rail, said ing cooperating means whereby said block can be adjusted toward the rail and locked in adjusted position, said block at itsedge remotefrom the rail being provided with an integral overhanging lip, said block also being provided on its underside adjacent said overhanging lip with a downwardly projecting rib extending transversely and diagonallyof the base plate, and wedge means for forcing said block tightly against the rail, said wedge means comprising a member positioned adjacent said rib and disposed on said base plate and secured against movement thereon, a wedge adapted to be disposedabove said member in contact therewith, said member and wedge being beneath said overhanging lip, said wedge and said member having complementary serrations on their facing surfaces.

4. A rail brace adapted to be used with a base plate arranged beneath a railroad rail and comprising a brace block having portions for engaging and accurately interfitting portions of the rail and mounted for adjustment toward the rail, means .for clamping said brace block against the rail and for holding the block againstmovement transversely of the base plate and longitudinally of the rail, and wedge .means for forcing said block tightly against the rail, said Wedge means comprising a member disposed adjacent said brace block and on said base plate and secured against movement thereon, a transverse bar fixed to the base plate adjacent said member, the opposed walls of said bar and said brace block comprising wedge engaging surfaces, a wedge adapted to be inserted transversely of the base plate over said member and in contact therewith, said wedge and said member having complementary serrations on their facing surfaces, said brace block having a flange disposed to overlie said wedge and said member.

5. A rail brace comprising a base plate to be arranged beneath a railway rail, a brace block on said plate and having portions for engaging and accurately interfitting with portions of the rail, said brace block being provided with an elongated slot and said base plate being provided with a bolt extending through said slot and carrying means for clamping the block in adjusted position, said slot and said bolt enabling said block to be adjusted toward the rail while holding the block against movement transversely of the plate and longitudinally of the rail, and wedge means for forcing said'block tightly against the rail, said wedge means comprising a member disposed adjacent said brace block and on said base plate and secured against movement thereon, said member having downward depending ridges adapted to engage respectively the side edges of 

